NELA Transition News | March 27, 2011

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North East Los Angeles Transition News March 27th, 2011 NELA Transition is a community group working on positive changes in our community as we face global warming, peak oil and economic decline. We share our skills working on projects which increase our local resilience and strengthen community connections. Our members are located in the Los Angeles neighborhoods including Pasadena, Altadena, Highland Park and Eagle Rock. nelatransition.org NELA Transition's First Event in Highland Park North East Los Angeles Transition held their first Highland Park event on March 17th, 2011. The event was held at All Saints Episcopal Church, which is a local church that is very supportive of the Transition Movement. About 40 people enjoyed the music of Salaam Suite and ejoyed a community potluck before watching "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil". Read more and see pictures from the event   Volunteers Needed NELA Transition is looking for volunteers who can help with setup and take-down at events, teach reskilling workshops, and to table at upcoming Earth Day events. If you are interested in volunteering, contact people@nelatransition.org     The Transition Handbook “There is no more important book than this one for any community seeking to change toward ecological sustainability” – Jerry Mander, founder/director of the International Forum on Globalization Transition Handbook, download Transition Handbook, order   Transition Los Angeles is a "city hub," in the L.A. basin which helps facilitates the sharing of information and resources between local Transition Groups. There are monthly leadership meetings which are open to the leadership of any of the local groups. www.transitionla.org   350 Home and Garden Challenge Organizing a 350 Home & Garden Challenge in your town (or city, village, county, parish, island) not only helps raise awareness and continue to build local resiliency, it offers an opportunity for your citizens to be a part of something much larger. And we are going to help make it as easy as possible for YOU to bring this incredible challenge to your community. This is the perfect opportunity for Transition communities across the country to come together on a single weekend and show their solidarity. Take Action   300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds Watch this short video from the Post Carbon Instititue which won a DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards in the Best Video in the Small Non-profit category.   Why Transition? The Transition movement represents one of the most promising ways of engaging people and communities to take the far-reaching actions that are required to mitigate the effects of peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. Furthermore, these relocalization efforts are designed to result in a life that is more fulfilling, more socially connected and more equitable than the one we have today. Read more Change your Consciousness, Change your World Dr. Ling O'Connor, professor of Environmental Science at Pasadena City College April 9th, 6:00 Potluck, 7:00 Talk Presented by: NELA Transition Humanity is facing many crises, including climate change, peak oil, threats of nuclear radiation and shortages of water. There have been efforts underway to address these issues for many years, but by most measures things are getting worse. We grew up in a culture learning stories about the way the world is, stories based on a way of life that is considered normal, but very destructive to the ecosystems which sustain us. These stories, or beliefs, are a barrier to a true change to living sustainably. We need an inner transformation, a change in our beliefs, to make such a transition possible. One way to challenge these beliefs is to look at some of the findings of science which challenges these stories. Ling O'Connor will lead us into an exploration of some of these scientific findings. . Some of the questions we will look into will include: What does it take to create a sustainable world? Is a paradigm change in beliefs needed for the environmental movement to be successful? Does our perception of reality limit what we can achieve? Can findings of science change what we believe? Throop Church 300 S Los Robles Ave Pasadena, CA 91101 6:00 PM - Potluck 7:00 PM - Talk by Ling Luet O'Connor 8:00 PM - Discussion   Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand April 10th, 10:30 AM Presented by: Neighborhood Church This visually dramatic special illustrates the planet's fragile state entirely from a birds-eye view in stunning high definition. With spectacular aerial views from more than 50 countries, viewers will see the extent of human impact on our landscapes. And not a moment too soon: In the past 50 years --a single lifetime -- the Earth has been more radically changed than by all previous generations of humanity. Ross Chapel Neighborhood Church 301 North Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena, CA   The Economics of Happiness Friday, April 15th, 7:00 PM The Conscientious Projector screens The Economics of Happiness outside at Memorial Park in Pasadena. The Economics of Happiness describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, government and big business continue to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, all around the world people are resisting those policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance—and, far from the old institutions of power, they’re starting to forge a very different future. Communities are coming together to re-build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm – an economics of localization. www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org   Altadena's Urban Farmers Market April 17th, 1 PM to 4 PM Presented by: The Arroyo Time Bank Zane Grey Estate, 396 E Mariposa St. Altadena, CA, 91001 At the Altadena Urban Farmers Market community members sell home grown and home made stuff, mostly food, to each other. A membership is required to shop. Membership forms are available at www.arroyotimebank.org under the AUF Market tab. Shoppers can print out and sign the membership form at home to avoid the line at check in. A new membership form must be signed and dated for each month's Market. Interested vendors can fill out the web application at www.arroyotimebank.org under the AUF Market tab. Some vendors also accept time dollars from Arroyo Time Bank members as payment. For more information on the Arroyo Time Bank, visit http://www.arroyotimebank.org/ NELA Transition Meeting April 17th, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM The location is to be determined, but will likely be in Pasadena or Highland Park. RSVP to people@nelatransition.org   End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream Saturday, May 7th and Friday, May 13th Presented by: NELA Transition Join us for a community potluck, screening of "End of Suburbia", and discussion at one of the two screenings. Saturday, May 7th at 6:30 PM Throop Church 300 S Los Robles Ave Pasadena, CA 91101 Friday, May 13th, 6:30 PM All Saints Episcopal Church 5619 Monte Vista St. Los Angeles, CA 90042 6:30 PM - Potluck 7:00 PM - End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream 8:20 PM - Discussion THE END OF SUBURBIA: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream "We're literally stuck up a cul-de-sac in a cement SUV without a fill-up" - James Howard Kunstler Since World War II North Americans have invested much of their newfound wealth in suburbia. It has promised a sense of space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. As the population of suburban sprawl has exploded in the past 50 years, so too has the suburban way of life become embedded in the American consciousness. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary. The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What does Oil Peak mean for North America? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to the collapse of their dream? Are today's suburbs destined to become the slums of tomorrow? And what can be done NOW, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia ? Hosted by Barrie Zwicker. Featuring James Howard Kunstler, Peter Calthorpe, Michael Klare, Richard Heinberg, Matthew Simmons, Michael C. Ruppert, Julian Darley, Colin Campbell, Kenneth Deffeyes, Ali Samsam Bakhtiari and Steve Andrews. Directed by Gregory Greene. Produced by Barry Silverthorn. Duration: 78 minutes If you would like to help out with setup or cleanup or would like to have a table at either of these events, contact people@nelatransition.org or call 626-388-0046